U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry speaks about the Ukraine crisis after his meetings with other foreign ministers in Paris on Wednesday. Russia is unlikely to pull back its military forces in Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula, analysts and former Obama administration officials say. (Kevin Lamarque, The Associated Press)

Recent Ukraine news coverage reminds me how much control the media have in framing the nature of an actual debacle. It has barely been a year since politicians were slinging mud at each other, to the point of shutting down our government. Major television and radio media have once again chosen to travel the low road, providing political parties venues for slinging mud at one another.

Vladimir Putin counted on the media to distract the public’s focus from the crisis toward more mundane, party-serving purposes. He was not disappointed. Within days, political pundits were provided with hands-free mics, leaving their hands free for finger-pointing.

I encourage The Post to stay on the high road: Do not use my precious newspaper dollars to frame the current Ukraine crises, or any other, for that matter, as a political party problem. Let politicians find other, more positive ways (like problem-solving) to gain publicity.

Karen Marshall Gershanov, Colorado Springs

This letter was published in the March 6 edition.

What hypocrites U.S. political leaders, the media, and many other citizens are to condemn the Russian takeover of the Crimean peninsula and the possibility of further Russian military action against more of the Ukraine. These are the same Americans who cheered the unjustified, illegal and immoral invasion of Iraq by the U.S. 11 years ago. All people everywhere should condemn and oppose the unjustified, illegal and immoral attack of one nation against another, but too many Americans are eager to justify and cheer such action by our nation and just as eager to condemn such action by another nation.

Thomas M. Rauch, Denver

This letter was published in the March 6 edition.

Was anyone really surprised that the president of Russia paid no attention at all to the warning given him by the president of the United States? Why should Vladimir Putin be any different from Bashar Assad in Syria, who paid no attention to the red line in the sand, or the mullahs of Iran?

William Hinckley, Highlands Ranch

This letter was published in the March 6 edition.

In 1936, the Olympics were held in Berlin, Germany. In 1938, Germany occupied a portion of Czechoslovakia known as Sudetenland, which contained a large number of German-speaking Czech citizens.

In 2014, the Olympics were held in Sochi, Russia. Shortly thereafter, Russia occupied a portion of Ukraine known as Crimea, which contains a large number of Russian speaking Ukrainians.

The primary difference in these two invasions was that the German chancellor obtained permission from several European leaders (with the exception of Czechoslovakia itself) for his aggression in order to avoid a wider war. A few months later, Germany invaded the rest of the Czech portion of the country with little to no opposition.

Eastern Ukraine also has a large contingent of Russian-speaking citizens. Will the Russian president decide to occupy much of the rest of Ukraine to protect its Russian-speaking citizens? What will be the response from the rest of the world to this repeat of naked aggression?

Allen Pfenning, Littleton

This letter was published online only.

For information on how to send a letter to the editor, click here. Follow eLetters on Twitter to receive updates about new letters to the editor when they’re posted.

The judge in the Stevie Marie Vigil case justified the shamefully light sentence by saying there was no evidence that Vigil knew or could have predicted Evan Ebel’s planned use of the gun she obtained for him. Yeah, sure. Vigil was shocked, simply shocked that Ebel, a violent felon, used the weapon in the commission of more felonies. Who could have predicted that? She probably thought he wanted a 9mm handgun for squirrel hunting.

Gary Waldman, Aurora

This letter was published in the March 6 edition.

For information on how to send a letter to the editor, click here. Follow eLetters on Twitter to receive updates about new letters to the editor when they’re posted.

I have never been to De Beque, Colo. If the town fathers and residents want gaming and marijuana businesses, that is their business. Joanne Ditmer says the town is in the middle of nowhere and asks, “[W]here would gamblers come from?” In the mid-1960s, South Pointe, Nev., was also in the middle of nowhere in a very hot and remote desert location with only a bar and motel. Today, we all know this place as Laughlin.

Dave Pote, Alamosa

This letter was published in the March 6 edition.

For information on how to send a letter to the editor, click here. Follow eLetters on Twitter to receive updates about new letters to the editor when they’re posted.

Guidelines: The Post welcomes letters up to 150 words on topics of general interest. Letters must include full name, home address, day and evening phone numbers, and may be edited for length, grammar and accuracy.

To reach the Denver Post editorial page by phone: 303-954-1331

Recent Comments

peterpi: I think I have this correct: Voters in Jefferson County elected school board members that the superintendent...

peterpi: Sounds good to me. For future employees. I believe police and fire dept. brass have also been known to get...